Five years after pieces of a Minneapolis man were found scattered across neighborhoods and riverbanks, detectives say they are still hunting for whoever killed and dismembered 36-year-old Adam Richard Johnson. The June and July 2021 killing shocked the city, horrified neighbors, and left Johnson’s family stuck in limbo. Now, at the five-year mark, investigators are again asking the public to speak up with any tip, no matter how minor it might seem.
Timeline of discoveries
According to Hennepin County, human remains later identified as Johnson’s were found on June 17, June 22, and July 4, 2021. The discoveries were made in several locations, including near Northeast Main Street, near Franklin Avenue, and in parcels pulled from the Mississippi River.
The medical examiner confirmed the remains were Johnson’s and said the cause and manner of death were still under investigation at the time. Investigators noted that not all of Johnson’s remains were recovered right away, and searches continued into July 2021.
Striking evidence and the 'PERV' carving
Less than a week after the first discovery, a severed head was left on a park bench along West River Parkway. Reporting by Bring Me The News, citing earlier local coverage, says the head was partially frozen and had the word “Perv” carved into the forehead, a detail family members have publicly rejected.
The mutilation raised chilling questions about motive and intent - whether the carving was meant as a message, misdirection, or something else entirely - and deepened investigators’ concerns about whoever was behind such a brazen and public display.
Investigators press for leads
Federal agents later joined Minneapolis detectives, and DNA recovered from under Johnson’s fingernails was submitted for testing, according to FOX 9. Family members told reporters Johnson had struggled with addiction in the past but was sober at the time of his death. Crime Stoppers and the family both offered rewards for information.
Authorities have not publicly announced any arrests and have repeatedly stressed that even the smallest tip could be the piece that finally connects the rest of the puzzle.
Where the case stands now
On the five-year anniversary, Minneapolis Police confirmed to Bring Me The News that the homicide investigation remains open and active. The department again urged anyone with information to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers of Minnesota.
“No one should assume that someone else has already provided a detail or that too much time has passed,” a department spokesperson told the outlet. For now, the case sits as one of Minneapolis’s most baffling unsolved homicides, with more questions than answers and a family still waiting for closure.
Family and the community
Relatives have worked to keep Johnson’s case from fading out of public view. They hired a private investigator and have maintained a GoFundMe and reward fund while continuing to plead for tips, according to contemporaneous reporting by CBS Minnesota.
The gruesome, public nature of the discoveries rattled neighbors and drew national attention back in 2021. Five years later, family members and investigators say that public attention - and any new information it shakes loose - may be what finally moves the case forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Minneapolis Police Department or Crime Stoppers of Minnesota.
